Washington DC multifamily market, October 2026

Neither side has the edge in Washington DC, and it is cooling: asking rents are up 0.4% on a year, while jobs slipped 1.8%.

Updated October 31, 2026 · from Zillow, BLS and the US Census Bureau

+0.4%

Asking rent, year over year

Zillow · September 2026

-1.8%

Jobs, year over year

BLS · September 2026, preliminary

4.6%YEARLY

Vacancy

Census · 2024 count

What is moving now

Asking rents are up 0.4% on a year to September 2026, which is the figure the condition is read from. Jobs are down 1.8% over the same year to September 2026, a first release the BLS revises the following month. Job growth has cooled (September 2026).

The backdrop

These are yearly Census counts, not this month's: 4.6% of rentals sat empty in 2024, permits for new apartments were down 23% in 2025, more people moved out than in in 2025, and the typical rent was $2,037 a month in 2024. They are the background the monthly figures move against, and they are the newest the Census has published.

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Common questions about Washington DC

Answered from the data, updated October 31, 2026

Is the Washington DC rental market tight or soft right now?

In Washington DC right now, neither side has a clear edge, and it is cooling.

Which way is the Washington DC market heading?

Washington DC is cooling right now, as asking rents firm over the past year (Zillow ZORI, monthly).

Is Washington DC a landlord's or a renter's market?

Washington DC is a balanced market right now, with neither side holding a clear edge.

What is the vacancy rate in Washington DC?

Vacancy in Washington DC is 4.6% in the 2024 count, a yearly snapshot rather than a monthly reading (US Census Bureau).

How much have Washington DC rents changed?

Asking rents in Washington DC are up 0.4% over the past year (Zillow ZORI, monthly, latest Sep 2026).

Recent coverage

Daily, from the MetroSgnl news feed. Headlines only.

Marcus & Millichap Arranges Partially Completed Building Multifamily Sale in Washington DC TenleytownYield PRO

Washington, D.C. multifamily sales volume surpasses 2025 totalNorthmarq

Developer sells DC-area site to son's company that's on a multifamily rollCoStar

D.C. Tenants Demand Action, Accountability From LandlordsWashington City Paper

Nearly 89,000 Open Housing Violations Expose Gaps in D.C. Rental Oversight as Council Weighs Eviction ReformThe Washington Informer

Marcus & Millichap Arranges $9.5M Sale of Multifamily Property in Washington DCYield PRO

See all Washington DC news →

Data: Zillow ZORI, BLS, US Census Bureau, FRED, and the MetroSgnl news feed. Recomputed daily. Market information only, not investment advice.
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